National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2014 Strategic Sustainability PERFORMANCE PLAN Submission date: June 30, 2014 Point of contact: NASA Senior Sustainability Officer, 202.358.2800 www.nasa.gov
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cover photos from left to right, - Hubble Space Telescope image of portion of the Monkey Head Nebula - Carved knots of gas and dust are silhouetted against glowing gas. Image Credit: NASA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) - Autonomous Refueling Demonstration - The pilot and flight test engineer were hands-off as NASA F/A-18 #845 flew itself during an autonomous refueling demonstration in 2007. Image Credit: NASA, Lori Losey - Orbital-1 Space Station Resupply Mission - Orbital Sciences Corp. launched its Cygnus cargo spacecraft aboard its Antares rocket on Jan. 9, 2014, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at Wallops Flight Facility, beginning a resupply mission to the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA, Chris Perry - Jason-3 Satellite - Artist s rendering of the Jason-3 satellite, scheduled to launch in 2015. This satellite will measure topography of the ocean s surface, providing scientists with critical information about circulation patterns in the ocean and about both global and regional changes in sea level and the climate implications of a warming world. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
TABLE OF CONTENTS Policy Statement Executive Summary Size & Scope of Agency Operations Evaluating Previous Year Strategies Goal Progress & Strategies Goal 1: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Goal 2: Sustainable Buildings Goal 3: Fleet Management Goal 4: Water Use Efficiency & Management Goal 5: Pollution Prevention & Waste Reduction Goal 6: Sustainable Acquisition Goal 7: Electronic Stewardship & Data Centers Goal 8: Renewable Energy Goal 9: Climate Change Resilience Goal 10: Energy Performance Contracts Appendix Table 1: NASA Size & Scope Goal tables Figure 1-1: Progress toward Scope 1 & 2 GHG Goals Table 1-1: Goal 1 Strategies - Scope 1 & 2 GHG Goals Figure 1-2: Progress toward Scope 3 GHG Goal Table 1-2: Goal 1 Strategies - Scope 3 GHG Goal Figure 2-1: Progress toward Facility Energy Intensity Reduction Goal Figure 2-2: Progress toward Total Buildings Meeting Guiding Principles Table 2: Goal 2 Strategies Sustainable Buildings Figure 3-1: Progress toward Fleet Petroleum Use Reduction Goal Figure 3-2: Progress toward Fleet Alternative Fuel Consumption Goal Table 3: Goal 3 Strategies Fleet Management Figure 4-1: Progress toward Potable Water Intensity Reduction Goal Table 4: Goal 4 Strategies Water Use Efficiency & Management Progress toward Pollution Prevention & Waste Reduction Table 5: Goal 5 Strategies Pollution Prevention & Waste Reduction Figure 6-1: Progress toward Sustainable Acquisition Goal Table 6: Goal 6 Strategies Sustainable Acquisition Figure 7-1: Progress toward EPEAT, Power Management & End of Life Goals Table 7: Goal 7 Strategies Electronic Stewardship & Data Centers Figure 8-1: Renewable Energy Percentage of Total Electricity Usage Table 8: Goal 8 Strategies Renewable Energy Table 9: Goal 9 Strategies Climate Change Resilience Figure 10-1: Progress in Meeting President s Performance Contracting Challenge (PPCC) Goal Table 10: Goal 10 Strategies Energy Performance Contracting 2014 Climate Risk Management Plan
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 2014 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan AGENCY POLICY STATEMENT The world s citizens look to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for inspiration and leadership. It is NASA s mission to drive advances in science, technology, and exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of the Earth. NASA is an agency that leads by example and will continue to spur profound changes in our knowledge, culture, and expectations. In its 2014 Strategic Plan, NASA commits to environmental stewardship through Earth observation and science, and the development and use of green technologies and capabilities in NASA missions and facilities. The Strategic Plan adds further that When we study the Earth from space, we not only reveal the marvelous complexity that enables our planet to support life, but we also gain valuable insight into climate change and weather patterns that translate into better warning and response times for dangerous weather events and natural disasters. This is the fourth Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan (SSPP) submitted by NASA. What began as lofty goals is now closer to being engrained in the day-to-day culture at NASA. In December 2013, the Administrator formally adopted sustainability principles, including climate adaptation. NASA Policy Directive 8500, NASA Environmental Management, states that NASA will execute the mission without compromising our planet s resources so that future generations can meet their needs. The policy directs every NASA employee and organizational element to comply with all federal, state, local, and territorial laws, and incorporate environmental risk reduction and sustainability practices into all phases of our work planning, development, implementation, and operational phases. The policy further directs the implementation of practices to: increase energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, increase the use of renewable energy, reduce water consumption, purchase environmentally-preferable products and services, reduce the use of hazardous materials, increase recycling, build high-performance and sustainable buildings, operate an efficient fleet program, increase electronics stewarding and green engineering, and undertake climate change adaptation and encroachment protection actions. To implement this policy and meet the requirements and targets outlined in this plan, NASA will be practical in the integration of sustainability and sustainable practices, supporting the economic growth and livability of the communities in which we conduct business. We will look for ways to leverage existing management systems, processes and decision-making, to influence both long-term planning and short-term actions, to enhance and strengthen our ability to perform our mission. We will continue to raise employee awareness and encourage each individual in the NASA community to apply the concepts of sustainability to every aspect of their daily work to achieve these goals. Finally, we pledge to maintain compliance with all applicable Federal, state, local or territorial law and regulations related to energy security, a healthy environment, and environmentally-sound operations. Calvin F. Williams NASA Senior Sustainability Officer
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2014 Strategic Sustainability PERFORMANCE PLAN Submission date: June 30, 2014 Point of contact: NASA Senior Sustainability Officer, 202.358.2800 www.nasa.gov
EXTIVE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VISION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NASA s sustainability policy is to execute the mission without compromising our planet s resources so that future generations can meet their needs. Sustainability provides a unique opportunity to continuously improve the resilience of NASA s space and ground asset operations and performance. NASA will continue to integrate sustainability principles into existing policies and procedures to demonstrate that we foster awareness, approaches and actions for a more sustainable world. The culture at NASA is shifting to a more reflexive incorporation of sustainability principles into daily decision-making and strategic planning for the future. Sustainability is, after all, a newer term for the kind of comprehensive risk management that NASA has practiced for decades. The sustainability goals set forth in the Executive Order and those set by NASA help to ensure that NASA addresses its risk from changing environmental conditions and resource supplies, and does not negatively affect environmental systems and resource reserves. Sustainability integration activities already under way at NASA include: o Master Plans and Capital Improvement Program Plans inform construction and demolition investments; o Designs recognize operational and mission risks, such as: direct mission risks (schedule, cost, technical); safety, security and health; legal requirements; and climate risks (short term, long term, and extreme events); o Centers assess climate change vulnerabilities, with partners in the local community and state and federal neighbors; and o A new land management policy incorporates flooding risks into evaluations of investments to create or renew facilities. In addition to these ongoing actions, NASA is focusing on other activities that will contribute to positive trends in the SSPP goals. NASA is focusing on its Energy and Water Security. NASA is evaluating the impact of a sudden disruption to its energy and water supplies and developing priorities for temporarily reducing missions, production, services, and other programmatic or functional activities. In addition, NASA developed an Energy Security Plan (ESP) template to provide Centers with a guideline to generate their energy/water security plans based on their local conditions. This template addresses energy and water supply reliability due to unexpected events such as national disasters and other impacting events. NASA is working to identify and respond to threats due to material obsolescence. At NASA, material obsolescence is the inability to obtain or use (sometimes critical) coatings, solvents, foams and other materials due to one or more factors such as national or international policy driven material unavailability or market driven economic forces. NASA will continue to work with national and international partners to help mitigate these risks. NASA continues to add green buildings to its portfolio. NASA operates over 1.8 million square feet of sustainable buildings, with 4 earning the LEED Platinum certification, 13 earning Gold, and 13 earning either Silver or certified designations. NASA will continue to incorporate green building principles into the design, construction, and operation of its facilities. Internal partnership continues to yield better understanding of climate risks. In 2005, launch capabilities, space operations and ground systems were deemed at risk from regional climate variability and were identified as a risk within NASA s risk management framework. Since that NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 1
time, a partnership between NASA s Office of Strategic Infrastructure (OSI) and NASA s Earth Science Division has yielded many benefits. NASA Center climate scientists on NASA s Climate Adaptation Science Investigators (CASI) team work collaboratively with Center institutional representatives to address adaptation issues. This partnership of on-site scientists and non-scientists also is instrumental in supporting climate risk workshops at NASA Centers and in the District of Columbia, where NASA is assisting with a series of workshops with federal and local stakeholders to identify and address climate vulnerabilities Climate science experts from across the Agency provide NASA's facilities, workforce, emergency planning, and environmental stewards cutting-edge downscaled climate data and projections. This data allows asset stewards at NASA Centers, working closely with local and regional partners, to understand their current and future climate risks, develop adaptation strategies, and integrate climate considerations and solutions within existing management processes. Eight site-specific workshops have been conducted since May 2010. In addition, Centers located along coasts gathered for a workshop to together explore adaptation strategies for their common vulnerabilities. These workshops addressed conventional assets, such as built infrastructure and natural ecosystems, but also less tangible resources including workforce, emergency response, and information systems. NASA s Energy Performance Contract Plan is fully underway. NASA greatly exceeded the goals for Energy Savings Performance Contracts/Utility Energy Services Contracts. We pledged to invest $19.6M in 2011-2013 for these contracts that guarantee energy savings and pay for project construction costs through the realized cost savings. NASA awarded $45.3M in these contracts in 2011-2013, more than double what was pledged. These accomplishments are in response to the President s Performance Contracting Challenge, issued in a Presidential Memorandum entitled Implementation of Energy Savings Projects and Performance-based Contracting for Energy Savings. In response to the Agency s success, NASA is now voluntarily increasing its pledge to $73.9M. NASA will continue to draw upon the creativity, experience and initiative of its workforce and partners to achieve NASA s mission, integrate sustainability into the NASA work ethic and enable the Agency to meet the goals and challenges of the Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. NASA will also collaborate with both domestic and international partners to find new ways to implement sustainability. LEADERSHIP NASA s leadership embraces sustainability as a means to enable and enhance resilience of NASA s mission efforts. Sustainability has been incorporated beyond NASA s environmental management leadership as an Agency policy and requirement. Sustainability is integrated into delivering mission success through the Agency s master planning, procurement, communication and computing technologies, its infrastructure design, construction, and deconstruction of capabilities no longer required, in prioritization and budgeting of space mission assets, and in drafting Agency policies. By leveraging partnerships with international, intergovernmental, academic, industrial and entrepreneurial communities, NASA can improve mission assurance and resilience. These partners contribute innovation and technology to NASA s mission and extend sustainability principles globally. In November 2009, Administrator Bolden named his Assistant Administrator (AA) for Strategic Infrastructure as NASA s Senior Sustainability Officer (SSO). The OSI provides executive and functional leadership, policy, technical expertise, and oversight for Agency infrastructure including facilities engineering and real property, environmental management, logistics management, aircraft management, strategic capabilities assets program, and integrated asset management. The Office s mission is to ensure that the right infrastructure assets and capabilities are available in the timeframe needed to support the Agency s mission. The AA s role, responsibility, and authority as senior leader of the OSI are well aligned with duties as NASA s SSO. The Center Sustainability Officers (CSOs), in many cases, parallel the responsibilities of the SSO at the Center level, thus extending accountability from the NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 2
Agency to Center level. The SSO and CSOs participate in quarterly video-teleconferences to provide updates on progress toward sustainability goals, with three or four Centers providing longer, more detailed slide presentations. The SSO and CSOs consider infrastructure asset decisions to be a prime focus area to ensure NASA s sustainability. Recent revisions to master planning policies and a new land management directive compel institutional stewards at the Agency and Center levels to carefully evaluate risk factors relating to capital investments. New facility design guidelines take climate into account and Center climate vulnerability assessments enable better capital investments. Headquarters (HQ) Sustainability Working Group (SWG) coordinates sustainability implementation, with valuable Center contributions The goal of the Headquarters (HQ) SWG is to ensure an integrated strategy towards sustainability across the Agency, leveraging existing programs and teams. The SWG team is led by NASA s SSO and is composed of HQ leaders from each appropriate community of practice area. These HQ leaders coordinate Center activities to achieve goals, objectives, and targets contained within the annual SSPP. The HQ SWG meets monthly and has representatives from many NASA offices OSI, Office of Procurement, and Office of the Chief Information Officer. More broadly, perspectives of other organizations (for instance the Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel) are consulted to ensure alignment, enabling sustainable progress. Thus the SWG includes participants with concerns broader than institutional infrastructure. Successful implementation of NASA s sustainability vision and goals relies on individual leadership as well as the activities and leadership of multiple teams across the Agency. While the SWG ensures an integrated strategy towards sustainability within NASA, most of the work to truly become sustainable is executed by the Center level workforce. Because NASA is geographically dispersed, creating cross- Center teams has been an important method to spread and strengthen best practices across the NASA community. Many diverse disciplines and functional areas are needed to achieve all of the goals, requirements, and targets associated with sustainability. To execute, NASA has well established communities of practice energy, water, transportation, recycling and sustainable acquisition, design and construction, maintenance and operations, master planning, climate change adaptation, electronic stewardship, and others. The pursuit of more sustainable practices requires the integration and coordination of these discipline-focused teams. Communities of practice are coordinated by NASA HQ and staffed by one or more individuals from each Center or facility. In many cases, these individuals integrate across several communities. A common example is for a Center energy manager to have additional duties in water management. NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 3
PERFORMANCE REVIEW NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 4
Status as of September 30, 2013 Reduced Scope 1 and 2 by 16.3% (Scope 1 includes direct GHG emissions from sources owned by NASA; Scope 2 includes indirect GHG from purchased electricity, heat, or steam) Reduced Scope 3 by 17.9% (Includes other indirect GHG emissions, e.g., travel in non-nasa vehicles) Reduced Scope 3 by 24.4% when including Scope 3 percentage points from a third-party operated project at a NASA Center Summary NASA GHG emission reduction targets reflect: identified reductions in energy use and intensity; reduced use of fossil fuels and increased use of alternative fuels in fleet vehicles; increased application of green building principles and sustainable design; and innovative energy technologies and funding strategies that promote conservation and renewable energy use. NASA hosts a third-party operated renewable energy project at a Center for which NASA earned Scope 3 percentage points where NASA retains neither the renewable energy produced nor the associated renewable energy credits (RECs). Opportunities for achieving further reductions are becoming more difficult to identify, especially in the face of new mission activities or shifting mission tempo that results in increased activities and/or energy use at NASA Centers. Integration occurs via weekly meetings of the NASA Headquarters energy team and detailed review of the annual Environmental and Energy Functional Reviews. NASA Centers provide emissions data for analysis of Agency progress via an on-line tracking system. To help achieve Scope 1 & 2 reductions, NASA evaluated the top three emission categories identified in the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) GHG emission report and developed a chart to illustrate reductions over time. Reduction opportunities related to these sources are wholly implemented through energy efficiency and alternative energy initiatives. For the first time ever, fugitive fluorinated gases are the third largest source, but this is expected to be episodic and mission related. Planned Actions NASA is on target to meet a NASA-developed FY 2015 GHG intensity goal for Scopes 1 and 2, in place since the Agency-wide FY 2003 energy intensity baseline. NASA will continue to reduce GHG emissions from on-site fossil-fuel consumption by installing more efficient boilers, generators, and furnaces, and by using renewable fuels. Electricity consumption will continue to be reduced through equipment upgrades and more efficient building designs. NASA will continue to implement designs for new construction and major renovations that are 30% more energy efficient than applicable code. For Scope 3, NASA is continuing efforts to reduce employee business travel by encouraging teleconference and remote interaction rather than travel and will continue to search for new opportunities for increased telework. This effort, in place for both business air and ground travel, will provide greater combined emission reductions from the baseline year than any other Scope 3 emission source. Successes NASA examples of successes and pilots below: - Replaced canned air dusters in laboratories with air from mini air compressors. The mini air compressors are an inexpensive, permanent and environmentally friendly alternative. One canned air duster has 3,000 times the impact on the atmosphere compared to CO2 emissions of driving a vehicle 100 miles. One full charge of the mini air compressor is equal to more than 4 canned air dusters and will replace well over 1,000 cans in its lifetime. - Conducting a pilot on electric and electric hybrid Privately Owned Vehicles (POVs) currently used by employees. Initial test group of 10 employees uses electric and e-hybrid vehicles. Results from the pilot are an estimated emission reduction of over 10 metric tons of CO2e. Another Center is also investigating charging stations for employee vehicles. - Started a pilot program where employees can choose one of two options: 1) work an hour extra each day and take every other Friday off, or 2) telework every other Friday. These options not only save the employees gasoline needed to commute, but also help reduce the associated GHG emissions. - Decentralized a campus fuel-oil fired heat system and transitioned to building-level propane (LPG) heat realizing a 17% reduction in total facility scope 1+2 GHG emissions. NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 5
Status as of September 30, 2013 26.4% reduction in facility energy intensity 14.2% of gross square footage of inventory meet Five Guiding Principles 9.2% of the number of total buildings meet Five Guiding Principles Summary NASA continues to make progress on its energy intensity and sustainable building goals. The latter goal is measured both by the number of buildings and gross square feet of buildings meeting the Five Guiding Principles and NASA added another 186,000 square feet in FY 2013 meeting the Five Guiding Principles. NASA also conducted two Sustainable Facilities Training courses this year. Because Goal 2, Sustainable Buildings, contains multiple components relating to green buildings, energy intensity in buildings, master planning, and Energy Savings Performance Contracts, coordination and integration occurs across several NASA Headquarter-Center groups. These teams contribute to NASA s Energy Management and Sustainable Facility management strategies, updating internal requirements and guidance documents, and providing the coordination and outreach necessary to achieve the goals of the EO. NASA tracks its energy goals through the Annual DOE Energy/Water report, Semi-Annual OMB Scorecard, DOE Compliance System reporting on energy/water consumption, ECM implementation and tracking, and building benchmarking. In addition, HQ representatives participate in Interagency working groups and task forces. NASA s updated master planning requirements and recently-issued Handbook for Master Planning (containing specific reference to sustainable site development and stewardship practices) position the Agency for master plans that enable a more strategic, sustainable building set. Planned Actions NASA Centers will continue to partner with utility companies and energy service companies during FY 2013/2014 to implement the awarded projects and conduct assessments and audits leading to proposals for potential additional projects. NASA plans installation of combined heat and power systems at three candidate Centers, depending on the results of feasibility studies, to increase energy efficiency, reduce GHG emissions and improve energy security. NASA HQ plans to revise the Sustainable Facilities Training course this year, prior to the next Center offering, in order to incorporate new Federal guidelines and industry updates. NASA is revising NASA Procedural Requirements NPR 8831.2E, Facilities Maintenance and Operations Management, to update and revise applicable areas including energy and water use reduction and building commissioning to effectively and more efficiently operate and maintain its facilities. NASA is planning to have nearly 650,000 square feet of facilities meeting the Guiding Principles, including three buildings that were also certified through LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, by the end of fiscal year 2014. Successes NASA examples of successes below: - Four buildings, with a combined size of 186,000 square feet, received LEED Gold certification. - Two Centers hosted a multi-day training course on sustainable facilities. - NASA Procedural Requirements, NPR 8820.2G, Facility Project Requirements, revision completed which includes updated sustainability requirements for the Agency. NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 6
Status as of September 30, 2013 Reduction in fleet petroleum use since 2005 is 36.7%. Increase in Use of Alternative Fuels in Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) and Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) since 2005 is 297%, representing 35.3% of total fleet fuel use Summary NASA is currently exceeding both fleet management goals. Monthly fuel consumption tracking reports allow NASA to ensure it remains on track to meet fuel goals and NASA reduced its petroleum use by 4.4% from FY 2012 to FY 2013. Over the past year, NASA reduced its fleet inventory by 4.2 percent. NASA updates its Fleet Management Plan each fiscal year to ensure actions support the Petroleum Reduction and Alternative Fuel usage goals. Continued execution of its Fleet Management Plan maintains the following objectives: a) optimize use of the vehicle fleet; b) acquire and/or adjust the size and functional utility of each vehicle to match the program s needs and/or mission s requirement (right sizing the vehicle fleet); and c) acquire Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs), Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) or Low Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emitting vehicles during end of life cycle replacements, for current vehicle requirements. NASA Center Transportation Officers (CTOs) manage and control all assigned vehicles and annually evaluate NASA s vehicle fleet for both existing vehicle assignments and new requests for transportation support. In FY 2011, Vehicle Utilization Review Boards (VURBs) projected a 10% reduction in vehicle fleet assets through FY 2015, and NASA represented this projected reduction as NASA s 2015 optimal fleet within the Vehicle Allocation Methodology (VAM) submitted to the General Services Administration in FY 2012. One challenge to the use of alternative-fueled vehicles is the lack of commercial infrastructure. NASA considers increasing alternative fueling infrastructure within a Center s campus, when such infrastructure allows for increased access to alternative fuel for NASA s mostly campus type vehicle use. Planned Actions NASA plans to continue its VAM process of annual review by Centers to evaluate vehicle requirements for both existing and new requests. VAM reviews ensure right sizing of the NASA fleet, allowing NASA to identify end of life vehicle assets and consider opportunities for optimal AFV, FFV and low GHG replacement selections. Successes NASA examples of successes below: - Exceeded petroleum reduction and alternative fuel usage goals. - Eliminated Executive Fleet large sedans. - Reduced the Agency vehicle inventory. - Increased the Low Speed Electric Vehicle inventory. NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 7
Status as of September 30, 2013 Reduction of potable water intensity since 2007 is 30.5% Reduction of water for industrial and landscaping since 2010 is 70%. Summary NASA is well beyond the goal for potable water intensity reduction with reductions achieved thus far of 30.5% versus the goal of 26% by FY 2020. The Agency continued to implement water infrastructure upgrades, install meters, retrofit bathroom fixtures and reduce the use of landscaping water systems at multiple agency sites in FY 2013. NASA uses its annual DOE Energy/Water report, semiannual OMB Scorecard, NETS database and results from triennial Environmental and Energy Functional Reviews and internal Baseline Performance reviews to track water use. NASA integrates water conservation into planning efforts through regularly scheduled meetings with the Center Sustainability Officers, Environmental Management Panel, Energy Efficiency Panel, the Sustainability Working Group, and the Community of Practice for Energy/Water. Centers are responsible for installing water efficient technologies in all new buildings and upgrades/maintenance of existing buildings. They conduct water conservation audits and leak detection programs and these efforts have resulted in water distribution system repairs at several Centers. NASA Centers are responsible for reducing the use of landscape irrigation to reduce water use, while considering safety (e.g., fire protection) and mission requirements. Many Centers, particularly those located in western States, already use water-efficient landscaping. NASA Centers review their current systems and deploy water closed-loop, capture, recharge, and/or reclamation systems as appropriate. Many Centers have already converted equipment to closed-loop systems and several Centers have partnered with local communities to use reclamation systems. Centers also are responsible for reviewing industrial and landscaping uses (no agricultural water uses) and installing meters where justified. Centers have some industrial and landscaping water uses, but most of this type of usage has historically been captured under potable water use. Landscaping is often associated with a building and is part of that building s water use. Some of the industrial water uses may merit separate metering and this will be evaluated. Repair of distribution systems often requires significant construction to facilities. Planned Actions NASA Centers will continue to assess their water distribution systems, conduct leak detection audits, and replace/repair components, as appropriate, considering available resources. NASA Centers will continue to evaluate utilizing or expanding the use of water-efficient landscaping to reduce water use. For industrial water uses, NASA will continue to evaluate the need for additional metering. Centers will also continue to assess whether it is appropriate to deploy additional water closed-loop, capture, recharge, and/or reclamation systems. Successes NASA examples of successes below: - NASA is exceeding water intensity reduction and industrial, landscaping, and agriculture water reduction goals. - Water infrastructure upgrades continue at many Centers. - Eliminated one-pass cooling in one building, saving 3 million gallons/year. - Installed a mist eliminator to a cooling tower, saving more than 500,000 gallons/year. - Achieved 81.3% water intensity reduction at a Center through multiple actions, including: reducing duration of system flushes, monitoring freeze plan implementation, limiting geothermal well use, conducting water use audits and leak audits, installing meters, and replacing an area main water line. - Saved 1 million gallons/year from completion of phase I of ESPC (faucet sensor and low flow restroom water closet/urinal fixtures). NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 8
Status as of September 30, 2013 Diversion of non-construction solid waste: 62% Diversion of construction and demolition waste: 65% Summary NASA continued to exceed the EO diversion goals for construction and demolition debris and non-construction solid waste. Currently, the Agency tracks waste generation and disposition rates through the NASA Environmental Tracking System (NETS). Since recycling rates are the product of a complex interaction of multiple factors (e.g., maturity of the program, varying regional waste collection resources, type of commodities accepted, communication, and workforce engagement), these rates vary from Center to Center making a one-size-fits-all approach difficult. Successful implementation and continuous improvement of Center recycling programs depend on the Center s flexibility to identify and to explore new waste stream opportunities as resources allow. These successes can then be modified to suit other Center s needs and requirements (shared as best practices). NASA utilizes several avenues to support and improve solid waste diversion efforts: 1) the Recycling and Sustainable Acquisition (RSA) Principal Center provides technical resources and program implementation support for waste prevention, recycling, and sustainable acquisition; 2) a web-based collaboration tool is used to share RSA work and to organize program activities and initiatives on both individual and team levels; 3) an Environmental Management System is used to focus Center attention by employing a selection of priority aspects which are measured and evaluated on a continual basis; and 4) encouragement of the workforce is accomplished through the Agency s Blue Marble Awards program which recognizes individuals and teams with exemplary environmental performance, including waste diversion goals. Planned Actions NASA plans to continually improve the NETS data collection on solid waste diversion and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) usage and expand the NASA dashboard within NETS to provide visual representation and trending analysis to identify opportunities for improvement. The Agency will continue to utilize other electronic means (e.g., paperless contracting and other internal web based systems) to streamline processes and enhance communication. Also, via the Environmental and Energy Functional Reviews, NASA will complete representative sample contract reviews of each Center to reference the use of language related to pollution prevention and solid waste diversion. The Agency will also investigate opportunities to provide additional training to environmental and procurement professionals. Successes NASA examples of successes and pilots below: - Currently recycling garnet and jet fuel which provides waste disposal cost savings. - To encourage greater recycling participation, decreased the size of waste containers and increased the size of the recycling bins. - Transitioned to single stream recycling, increasing employee participation and increasing diversion rates of non C&D solid waste. One Center program has increased non-construction and demolition diversion from 19% in FY 2012 to 69% in FY 2013. - Based on the success of a Center pilot program - "Freecycle@NASA" - NASA implemented this program Agency-wide to encourage the reuse of office supply items (e.g., pencils, whiteboards, and notebooks). - Custodial contract now uses a truck compactor to collect waste onsite, which allowed a Center to cut the number of dumpsters by two thirds and reduce disposal costs by 27%. - Volunteers expanded shredded paper collection for compost in FY 2013 and initiated the Coffee-to- Compost program that expanded in FY 2014 to three drop-off stations resulting in 2,800 pounds of coffee grounds diverted from the landfill and used onsite for the Center gardens. - Implemented paperless contracting, resulting in reductions in associated paper use and printing costs. - Incorporating C&D waste diversion principles into day-to-day maintenance operations to increase diversion rates (e.g., concrete, scrap metal and wood recycling). NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 9
Status as of September 30, 2013 >95% of applicable new contract actions meet federal mandates for acquiring products that are energy efficient, water efficient, biobased, environmentally preferable, non-ozone depleting, recycled content, or are non-toxic or less toxic alternatives, where these products meet performance requirements Summary NASA currently meets the E.O. 13514 requirement that agencies ensure that 95 percent of applicable new contract actions meet federal procurement mandates for products that are energy efficient, water efficient, biobased, environmentally preferable, non-ozone depleting, contain recycled content, or are non-toxic or less toxic alternatives. NASA performs semi-annual reviews of at least 5 percent of applicable new contract actions to determine if sustainable acquisition requirements are included. NASA s contracting officers examine environmental sections completed by the intended acquisition end users; NASA Centers have the option to perform additional pre-solicitation and preaward reviews. Each Center has also investigated the potential issue of improper coding (for the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) database) and provided targeted training to the contracting officers who process the awards most impacted by sustainable acquisition requirements. This training covers proper inclusion of sustainability clauses/provisions in solicitations and awards, as well as proper FPDS reporting. Planned Actions Based on changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Part 23, NASA plans to complete a NASA FAR Supplement implementing policy to establish procedures to ensure appropriate FAR provisions and clauses are in solicitations and contracts, and accurately record sustainable acquisition activity in the FPDS database. NASA will also use another existing review mechanism the comprehensive Environmental and Energy Functional Review (EEFR) conducted at each NASA Center on a 3-year cycle to conduct additional contract reviews. NASA plans to utilize the lessons learned from these reviews to inform development of specific training tailored to ensure continual improvement at each Center. NASA will annually review 25 percent of the specifications under its control and revise them to ensure that sustainable products are included as appropriate. This number of reviews will result in 100 percent of the total specifications under NASA s control being reviewed for applicable sustainable products during a four year cycle. Successes NASA examples of successes and pilots below: - Completed EEFR reviews at five NASA facilities, which includes best practices for improving contract language relating to sustainable acquisition. - Sustainable Acquisition training was provided to NASA staff through several training methods, from onsite delivery and online refresher training, to other types of Center-specific training. Participants included members of the contracting and procurement community, purchase card holders, administrative staff, engineers and construction managers, and general requisitioners. - Several Centers are piloting paperless contracting resulting in reductions in associated paper use and printing costs. NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 10
Status as of September 30, 2013 EPEAT: 95% or more monitors and PCs/laptops purchased in FY2013 were Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) compliant Power Management: 100% computers, laptops and monitors have power management enabled End of Life: 100% of electronics are disposed through GSA Xcess, CFL, Unicor or a Certified Recycler Summary NASA maintains a green status for its Electronic Stewardship and Data Center goal, measured by: ensuring procurement preference for EPEAT-registered products; implementing policies to enable power management, duplex printing, and other energy-efficient features; employing environmentally sound practices with respect to the disposition of electronic products; procuring Energy Star and FEMP designated electronics; and implementing best management practices for data center operations. Strategic planning for data center consolidation is done at the Agency level and data center consolidation and data center power monitoring is linked to the OMB s 25 Point Plan for Shift to a Cloud First and Develop a Strategy for Shared Services. The data center power monitoring initiative has largely been abandoned due to budget reductions. Challenges Several challenges remain with respect to metering data centers and measuring and achieving average data center CPU utilization percentages and power utilization effectiveness (PUE) targets (75% and 1.4, respectively). While NASA assessed its data centers in 2010 for meter placement, it has taken several years to install data center-specific meters; metering was typically done at the building level, not the room level. Other metering challenges remain, including: complexity of getting readings from chilled water feeds and isolating the energy for chilled water associated with data center room and building. Measuring average CPU utilization requires agents conducting continuous measurements rather than snapshot measurements, so NASA is able to only estimate that its supercomputing facilities and large science data production facilities operate at 65% or above. Other data centers will increase their utilization percentage as virtualization increases and more consolidation occurs. Once individual data center metering is complete, PUE measurement will be possible; however it is unlikely NASA will achieve the 1.4 PUE goal established. Buildings are old and the cost of modifications precludes making energy efficient improvements and changes that would improve PUE substantially. As NASA increases the density in data centers by consolidation and has the opportunity to implement more energy savings best practices over time, PUE will improve, but is unlikely to get below 2 in most facilities. Most investment in data center power monitoring has been abandoned due to budget reductions. Planned Actions NASA plans to reduce to 29 data centers by the end of FY 2014 and 22 data Centers by the end of FY 2015. NASA continues to implement an enterprise contract for support of desktop services to include network printers, multifunction devices (MFDs), and other printing devices. The enterprise contract contains specific energy efficient compliance clauses. Additionally, standardized configurations are implemented to ensure energy efficient settings are managed and monitored. NASA continues to transition its office automation and end user services to this contract to ensure efficiencies in desktop services functions, costs, and compliance with federal initiatives. All NASA Enterprise IT Support and Services contracts contain clauses to ensure environmentally sound practices for disposition of all Agency excess or surplus equipment. As of May 2014, NASA achieved replacement of 95% of all office automation systems that comply with EPEAT standards and have been updated within the last 3 years. Note: Agency Consolidated End-User Services enterprise contract procured devices will be 100 percent. Successes NASA examples of successes and pilots below: - Using new virtual technologies to reduce the need for physical servers and replacing old servers with energy efficient models. - Developing a life cycle analysis of direct water cooled (DWC) supercomputer hardware, which will eliminate cooling energy demand and produces heat. It could save up to $350,000/yr in electricity and natural gas costs at one Center. NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 11
Status as of September 30, 2013 7.6% or 89,418 megawatt hours of NASA s total electricity consumption came from renewable energy; 4.4% is from new sources Summary NASA successfully exceeded this fiscal year s goal of 7.5%, building on NASA s Agency-wide strategy of emphasizing identification of large projects that can make a significant difference for the Agency, rather than initiating smaller projects at each Center. More than 65% of NASA s renewable energy is from REC purchases; about 11% comes from direct purchases. NASA completed its feasibility study for a solar plant installation at one facility and is awaiting a final report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Due to funding issues, NASA will install a smaller system (0.5 1.4 MW), pending funding availability. NASA completed a Phase 1 combined heat and power (CHP) feasibility study for another Center, which will use natural gas and landfill gas to generate electricity and steam. NASA is a member of the FEMP Renewable Energy Working Group and contributed to the development of the FEMP Playbook for Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects. Internal NASA teams are reviewing a revised NASA Energy Management Program procedural document and associated Energy Guidance Handbook. Challenges NASA continues to address issues relating to the lack of authority to enter into long term (10+ years) Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with vendors for renewable energy contracts (unless within an ESPC). In addition, an OMB policy - the Federal government must retain title to the installed capital goods at the conclusion of the contract - lessens the financial incentive of third party investors or providers to enter into ESPCs with a renewable energy component 1. NASA is working through NREL to resolve these issues. Furthermore, although NASA is successfully using several renewable energy technologies - solar thermal, geothermal, and steam generation from renewable sources some of these renewables energies cannot be counted in the renewable energy metric because they do not generate electricity. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires that no less than 7.5% in FY 2013 and thereafter, of total electricity consumed by the Federal Government come from renewable energy. A Presidential Memorandum issued December 5, 2013 added a provision that 20% of electricity must be from renewable sources by 2020. NASA is reviewing its renewable energy policies regarding this new requirement. Unless barriers to implement on-site renewable energy generation are removed, NASA may not be able to meet the new requirements as REC costs increase and budget limitations may not permit the purchase of a sufficient number of RECs needed to meet the goal. Planned Actions NASA will continue to work with DOE, FEMP, NREL, and other agencies to implement renewable energy projects by installing onsite renewable energy on its sites. NASA will initiate a Phase 2 feasibility study for the CHP project, which - using landfill gas supplemented with natural gas - could produce roughly 95% of electricity for the Center. Another facility continues to work on incorporating a solar project into their ESPC. NASA is considering buying RECs at the HQ level, with Centers providing funding according to their local electricity use and other renewable resources. Successes NASA examples of successes below: - NASA Centers are including renewable energy projects in ESPC projects to leverage high capital investment and average out long payback periods. - One Center is using recycling funds to install a 0.4-0.5 MW solar system; NASA HQ is trying to add 0.5 MW to bolster the system s capacity. - Large renewable energy projects are underway at three NASA facilities for wind (one facility) and solar (two facilities). 1 OMB Memorandum M-12-21 dated 9/28/2012, Subject: Addendum to OMB Memorandum M-98-I3 on Federal Use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs) NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 12
Status as of September 30, 2013 Six of NASA s coastal facilities had hosted multi-day climate adaptation workshops Cosponsoring/facilitating DC-area climate adaptation series with federal and non-federal neighbors. Quarterly Center Sustainability Officer meetings include climate adaptation progress as an agenda item NASA is incorporating climate change factors into its sustainable facilities design program and its master planning policies Summary Recognizing climate risks as a potential impediment to a sustainable NASA and the importance of walking the talk to drive culture change, science and institutional leaders have made adapting to climate risks a focus, participating actively in workshops, advocating for applicable research, and advancing relevant policies. NASA has developed and is applying a robust local adaptation workshop process at its installations, and now has partnered with key partners in the Washington, DC area to sponsor a community-wide adaptation process. In the workshops, NASA partners with local and regional entities to help other Agencies and local communities benefit from the adaptation expertise it is developing and Center staff discuss possible adaptation strategies to address priority risks. In addition to participating in these workshops to provide data, projections, and their expertise at understanding climate, NASA s Climate Adaptation Science Investigator (CASI) team also conducts applied research and toolset development of direct benefit to institutional climate risk managers. NASA remains on the forefront of climate science, research, and computational modeling, providing vital information to the public and NASA institutional managers. Planned Actions During FY 2014, NASA will build on the value of its adaptation workshops to reinforce early progress and extend momentum towards a more climate-resilient Agency. NASA also will continue to participate in and facilitate at least two workshops in the Washington, D.C. area. Scientists will continue making contributions to climate research and to assessments such as the National Climate Assessment and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change efforts. CASI scientists will update climate projections for NASA Centers, incorporating advancements in climate models. Successes NASA examples of successes and pilots below: - NASA is integrating climate factors into existing management plans through the adaptation process. - NASA has issued its first Land Management Policy, identifying flooding risk as a key vulnerability, protecting the high ground should managed retreat be advised, and limiting development in areas of greatest vulnerability. - The Master Planning Community of Practice and Senior/Center Sustainability Officers are discussing climate design and other climate adaptation policies at regularly scheduled meetings. - One Center is addressing its downstream stormwater runoff quality, erosion and flooding impacts - that are expected to worsen with climate change - by installing a pilot rain garden and bioretention basin; the Center is currently gaining maintenance experience with these adaptation measures to develop tools to strategically manage stormwater center-wide. - A sea wall and expanded beach construction project and a current post-sandy replenishment project are major steps towards climate resilience in the face of increasingly severe storms in the mid- Atlantic region. NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 13
PROGRESS ON ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES Climate Change Adaptation Plan NASA updated its Climate Risk Management Plan for 2014; it is attached as an Appendix. NASA has completed climate adaptation workshops at eight of its ten primary Centers and one component facility. Another Center is utilizing a modified process, following the risk identification and adaptation strategy process without a workshop. NASA s coastal facilities convened in 2013 to discuss shared vulnerabilities and possible solutions. NASA continues to make progress on capacity building and integrating climate risk management within the Agency. NASA co-sponsored and facilitated a series of webinars and workshops with local and federal stakeholders in Washington, D.C. to address climate risks to the National Capital Region. NASA also plans to explore supply chain climate risks of its strategic suppliers. NASA received no public comments on its 2013 Climate Risk Management Plan and Report. Fleet Management Plan In accordance with Presidential Memorandum: Federal Fleet Performance (dated May 24, 2011) Federal Agencies should operate only as many fleet vehicles as needed to work efficiently, leveraging Federal purchasing dollars to build manufacturing capacity for more alternative fueled vehicles, and reducing petroleum consumption through efficiency and alternative fuels. NASA submitted its Fleet Management Plan highlighting the policies and processes to achieve the presidential guidance and metrics set forth in Executive Order 13514 as an appendix to its 2013 SSPP (http://www.nasa.gov/agency/sustainability/sspp.html). NASA is currently exceeding the required petroleum consumption reduction and increase in alternative fuel consumption goals. Therefore, it continues to execute its Fleet Management Plan, maintaining the following objectives: a) optimize use of the vehicle fleet; b) acquire and/or adjust the size and functional utility of each vehicle to match the program s needs and/or mission s requirement (right sizing the vehicle fleet); and c) acquire Alternative Fuel Vehicles, Flex Fuel Vehicles or Low Greenhouse Gas emitting vehicles during end of life cycle replacements, for the current vehicle requirements. Energy Performance Contracts NASA pledged $19.6 million investment value for the December 2011 Presidential Memorandum requiring the Federal Government to contract for $2 billion of energy efficiency investments by the end of 2013. NASA became the first agency to meet its investment value pledge, and Centers awarded energy projects totaling nearly $45.7 million investment value under Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Services Contracts in FY 2012 FY 2013. NASA increased its pledge to $73.9 million total investment value in response to the Administration s extension/expansion of the energy performance contracting goal to $4 billion by the end of 2016. In FY 2014 - FY 2015, Centers will continue to collaborate with utility companies and energy service companies to implement the awarded projects and conduct assessments and audits leading to proposals for potential additional projects. Biobased Purchasing Strategies Currently, elements are in place to ensure sustainable acquisition, including biobased products. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) references sustainable acquisition. NASA annually reviews and updates related specifications and also completes Center environmental reviews of contracts to ensure the inclusion of sustainable acquisition language. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cover photos from left to right, - Hubble Space Telescope image of portion of the Monkey Head Nebula - Carved knots of gas and dust are silhouetted against glowing gas. Image Credit: NASA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) - Autonomous Refueling Demonstration - The pilot and flight test engineer were hands-off as NASA F/A-18 #845 flew itself during an autonomous refueling demonstration in 2007. Image Credit: NASA, Lori Losey - Orbital-1 Space Station Resupply Mission - Orbital Sciences Corp. launched its Cygnus cargo spacecraft aboard its Antares rocket on Jan. 9, 2014, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at Wallops Flight Facility, beginning a resupply mission to the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA, Chris Perry - Jason-3 Satellite - Artist s rendering of the Jason-3 satellite, scheduled to launch in 2015. This satellite will measure topography of the ocean s surface, providing scientists with critical information about circulation patterns in the ocean and about both global and regional changes in sea level and the climate implications of a warming world. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA 2014 SSPP Executive Summary 14
Size & Scope of Agency Operations Table 1: Agency Size & Scope Agency Size and Scope FY 2012 FY 2013 Total Number of Employees as Reported in the President's Budget 18,216 17,964 Total Acres of Land Managed 329,395 329,395 Total Number of Buildings Owned 2,370 2,427 Total Number of Buildings Leased (GSA and Non-GSA Lease) 16 13 Total Building Gross Square Feet (GSF) 46,992,591 46,741,087 Operates in Number of Locations Throughout U.S. 42 42 Operates in Number of Locations Outside of U.S. 14 14 Total Number of Fleet Vehicles Owned 911 913 Total Number of Fleet Vehicles Leased 2,365 2,226 Total Number of Exempted-Fleet Vehicles (Tactical, Law Enforcement, Emergency, Etc.) 112 115 Total Amount Contracts Awarded as Reported in FPDS ($Millions) 1,291.2 1,281. 3